Promoter Ben Shalom Maps Out Exciting Future For Lauren Price

Promoter Ben Shalom is excited about the future of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and now welterweight world champion Lauren Price. 

Price (7-0, 1 KOs) appeared in her native Wales in the capital, Cardiff, for the first time as a professional, impressing in victory against former undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill (12-4-1, 5 KOs).

Referee Michael Alexander brought the contest to an early conclusion at the start of the ninth round due to severe swelling on McCaskill’s left eye.

Ultimately, despite the fight going to the scorecards earlier than anticipated, Price collected the first pieces of silverware of her professional career with a deserved technical decision, via three identical totals of 90-82, to win the WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles.

Shalom, who has promoted Price since her decision to turn professional following her decorated amateur career in 2022, admitted post fight that he has been surprised at the rate of her progression.

“I’m excited,” Shalom told Express Sport afterwards. “What excites me most is when a star is born. When she signed and debuted with us I didn’t think it would all happen this quickly. We had the vision we could do it, but in seven fights? Its unbelievable.”

Following the victory, Price told broadcaster Sky Sports that she wants to follow in the footsteps of Katie Taylor, arguably the most prominent name in female boxing and one of the most successful combatants in the entire sport.

Shalom is confident that his latest world champion can follow in the footsteps of Price’s Irish counterpart and will target stadium fights for Price, who joins Joe Cordina as Wales’s second current reigning world champion. 

“She [Price] mentions all the time what Katie Taylor has done for boxing and what she’s done for Ireland, and she can emulate that,” Shalom added. “She can do that for boxing here in Wales. She’s a superstar, and she’s special.

“She looked like she had fought 25 professional fights in there. I’ve never seen a more mature performance—but it was exciting as well. There are so many big fights to come, and I do believe we will be seeing her in stadium fights soon. The trajectory with this is incredible.”